


love languages

by nebulera



Series: of beasts [11]
Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Established Relationship, Imperial Era, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-02-15
Updated: 2021-02-15
Packaged: 2021-03-16 16:33:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,088
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29456781
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/nebulera/pseuds/nebulera
Summary: There are still flowers in a war zone.
Relationships: Darth Maul/CT-7567 | Rex
Series: of beasts [11]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2021009
Comments: 2
Kudos: 25





	love languages

He is far too sentimental, Rex thinks as he stops walking to crouch down on creaky legs. Maul is walking ahead and turns around to look down at him, a question in his eyes. They’re almost to the ship and Rex will only be a moment.

“Keep going, I’ll be right behind you,” he says with a wave of his hand.

A long time ago, Maul may have looked at him even more confused, or squinted at him in mistrust. Long years have passed, and the pool of caution that once lay between them grew smaller and smaller until it no longer existed. 

Rex looks up at him on his weary legs and thinks idly, an artist would paint a picture of this—of Maul standing before him in front of the grove of trees that block the setting sun. The wind rustles around them and the leaves brush together in a calm ambience. Dirt sinks beneath Rex’s weight as he stares on; he looks beautiful and striking, out of place in every way but just as peaceful as the nature surrounding him. Then, Rex thinks no painting or holo could recapture what he is looking upon right now, nor could it make his heart sing the same.

He waits until Maul is out of sight before he brings a hand he’d had braced on his knee down to the ground before him. At his feet, there were many flowers covering most of the forest floor. His gentle hand brushes the one that has caught his eye—it stands out with its rich crimson color and yellow accent amongst a sea of white. Falling immediately in love with it, Rex pulls it from the ground.

When he reaches their ship, Maul is leaning against a post of the open ramp, his arms crossed and waiting. His eyes are closed as though he’s meditating, but they open as soon as Rex steps into the clearing.

“What kept you,” Maul says before Rex pulls him into a hug. 

“Uh,” Rex says, pulling away only a short distance so Maul’s arm stays around his shoulder. He reveals the delicate flower to him. “This is for you.”

Maul’s hand trails down to Rex’s back. He holds his hand out so Rex can place it there. He analyzes the fragile thing like it’s a puzzle, his lip curling, though Rex knows from experience it’s not out of disgust, but frustration when Maul can’t decipher something, or feels he’s done something wrong. Even in these brief moments, Rex finds him endearing. 

“What do I...hm.” Maul stops.

Rex smirks. “You’re gonna have to put it in water.”

Maul side-eyes him. “I know that, Captain. Why did you stop for it?”

“Caught my eye,” Rex says simply. “It’s beautiful like you.”

He feels the faintest of pause in the hand on his back, sees the flare in Maul’s eyes. He’s called him beautiful countless times and still the same reaction, silent surprise.

“I...thank you,” Maul says, still transfixed on the flower before he looks up at him. The hand he’d had on Rex’s back, he bends on his shoulder so he may run a finger across Rex’s temple. His thumb brushes the bit of grey there, the lines around the corners of his eyes. Maul frowns. “I don’t have anything for you.”

Rex chuckles and keeps his arm around Maul’s waist as he begins to walk them up the ramp. “That’s okay. It’s a gift, Maul.”

…

  
  


Red shines in a bright flash and sparks fly. The body in white armor falls back and Maul stands boldly above it with both blades ignited. His back is to Rex.

“I told you to go,” Maul says from across the corridor. The city is dark and the clouds growl with the promise of thunder and a storm. Hazy red threatens the dark. The imperial occupied city doesn’t rest, but neither do they.

“I thought you were right behind me,” Rex says, his chest heaving from his sprint back once he realized otherwise. He takes a step forward.

Surrounding them were the strewn bodies of stormtroopers, most certainly the ones chasing them after Maul had rescued him. They hadn’t done much to hurt him other than slap him about and call him names, slurs thrown about for being a clone, and a defector in their eyes. It wasn’t much worse than what Rex has already suffered through. 

Rex looks around at the carnage. Maul tore through them like nothing, like a dagger, like a spear through the wind. He can only imagine it, and he’s sad he missed it—to see Maul stand against over a dozen men and unleash the fire in his soul that Rex cradles at night when they are alone. Maul had brought down a star destroyer for him, Rex will never forget the lengths he’d go to protect him.

Maul turns to face him, his haunting yellow eyes glowing in the dark and blazing from the light of his saber. His mouth is upturned into a grin. He’s dressed head to toe in his black gear, years ago having returned to traditional black robes, though more distinguished than what he’d once worn. Saberstaff ignited, he couldn’t look more like a Sith. There is no remorse or regret in his frame—he is happy he killed them all. Rex’s mouth is open and his eyes flare at the sight of him. He is terrifying and he is beautiful. His little monster.

“Are you all right?” Maul asks.

“Yes.”

Maul reads him perfectly. He spins the staff before extinguishing it, attaching it to his belt. He strides across the wat in less than two seconds then hauls Rex towards him. His arm is firmly around his waist when Maul crashes their lips together. Rex responds fiercely. Sounds emit from his throat, the pathetic kind that only Maul ever gets to hear.

“I love you,” Maul growls. He bites at Rex’s chin, licks him. 

Rex touches him everywhere, his horns, his neck. He gasps when Maul kisses across his skin. Maul eventually takes him by the shoulders and starts to walk him backwards, his eyes dark and devoted.

“And I’m going to kriff you.”

Rex nods hazily, licking his lips at the thought of Maul’s strong hands on his hips. “Please.”

“Run with me, Captain,” he says with a low voice. 

Rex turns and takes Maul’s hand in his, and all too familiarly, they run. They burn through the dark like a star in the night.

**Author's Note:**

> happy valentine’s day :)
> 
> yay or nay


End file.
